Long Distance Love
by melinda08
Summary: He carried around her picture, knowing someday it would lead her back to him. S/D


Sam was going through his things when he came across a picture. Not just any picure. It was an old black and white camera taken with some special film for a Poleroid and it was no ordinary photo. It was one of her. She'd been gone for four years now but somehow he'd never really needed that picture. He'd had every line, every color, every curve memorized. Try as he might he never could forget her and try he did. He tried drinking, he tried working, he tried women, but nothing or no one could take the place of Diane Chambers. And now in front of him sat a photo that took him back to the past, one that he couldn't erase no matter how hard he tried.

All of his friends said that he would pull himself together again, it was just a matter of time. And then he sold the bar, much to their surprise. He tried sailing around the world but that failed miserably. Crawling back on his hands and knees to the place that once belonged to him, the place where he was on top of the world, Sam found himself begging for a job. So he went to work, reduced to working for someone whom he wanted but couldn't have. But she was just a distraction, someone to fill the void left by the woman who'd always had his heart. At the end of the day it was Diane who had his heart, always Diane.

So he bent the photo in half and carried it around in his wallet for a few weeks, his mood noticably lightening. Everyone noticed the spring in his step but no one dared asked him the reason for it. They just assumed that he had found a new girl, but that didn't make sense. If he had then why wasn't he boasting about her? No, something was amiss but they couldn't figure out what it was.

On his day off Sam took out his wallet and pulled out the picture of Diane and stared at it. He knew what he had to do. If he didn't take a chance he would regret it for the rest of his life.

"Information may I help you?"

"Los Angeles California please."

"What listing please?"

"Diane Chambers."

"I have three listings. Do you know the street?"

"No. I'll take all three," Sam replied then wrote them all down.

He called the first one and no one answered. He called the second one and a man answered. "Hello?"

"Hi… I think I have the wrong number. I'm trying to reach Diane Chambers."

"She no longer lives here."

"Oh." Sam felt his heart stop for a second as he hung up the phone.

He dialed the third one. "Hello?"

"Hello?"

"Hi I'm trying to reach Diane Chambers."

"May I ask who's calling?"

"I don't even know if I have the right Diane Chambers. The one I'm looking for worked at a bar in Boston a long time ago…"

"Sam!"

He took a deep breath. "Diane. It's you."

"It's me. You found me. I'm surprised to hear from you. Is everyone okay? Are you okay?" Diane asked.

"Oh yeah. Everything's fine. I was just calling to, you know, check in, to make sure you were okay. You've been quiet for four years and I wanted to make sure you were alive," he laughed.

"Oh yes. Never been better. I'm working on a screenplay and I belong to a health club and I take yoga classes three times a week and am in a poetry class on Monday nights- it's a miracle you caught me!"

"Sounds like it. Well I'm happy for you and I'm glad you're doing well. Well I'd better let you go."

Before he hung up Diane cried out "Wait!"

"Yes?" Sam asked.

"Why did you really call? Really?" 

"I don't know. Just to see how you were."

"No you didn't. You wanted to see if there was anything left between us except you're too proud to find out. I refuse to let you hang up before finding out if there is. I think there is Sam. I admit it Sam, I still love you. My life here is good , but it's not the same as what my life was in Boston when I was with you. And I want it back. I would give it all up to have a chance to see what we can be again."

"Well tough but I don't want us."

"No you don't Sam. I have had my moment just like you have had your moment and I think it's time that we grow up and see that we belong together. Some things are just meant to be. Haven't you missed me?"

Sam didn't answer.

"Well that settles it. I'm moving back to Boston and there's nothing you can do to stop me. Sam we're going to get it right this time."

"All right Diane. I'll see you in Boston. I just hope you don't regret this," Sam said, hiding his excitement at what had transpired.

"I won't, Sam. You'll see. We're going to get it right this time."

And Diane was right. It wasn't easy but neither of them regretted her decision. They fought still, but that just led to making up, which only strengthend their relationship. Diane was everything Sam had remembered her to be- and more. They had finally gotten it right after all.


End file.
